Senile and postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Obviously, the relentless decrease in bone mass that accompanies aging will continue the long sought "elixir of youth" is discovered. Individuals, because of race, sex, environmental, dietary, genetic or activity differences, will be more or less predisposed to symptomatic osteoporosis with increasing age. The careful and knowledgeable physician should, however, make every attempt to rule out potentially remediable, subtle forms of demineralizing disorders, such as apathetic or T3-thyrotoxicosis, hyperparathyroidism, malabsorption and osteomalacia or multiple myeloma. Not only do these diseases result in an accelerated loss of bone mass and an increased incidence of skeletal fractures but they mimic postmenopausal or senile osteoporosis radiologically. Once the metabolic or malignant disorders of bone metabolism have been effectively considered and ruled out, the senescent or postmenopausal osteoporotic patient should be treated judiciously with short-term estrogen therapy, a diet sufficient in vitamin D and calcium content and continued attempts to insure adequate skeletal mobilization. The addition of sodium fluoride and/or calcitonin to this regimen should not be attempted without extreme caution until the potentially harmful systemic effects of prolonged therapeutic trials have been appropriately assessed.